The present invention relates to depth stop devices and systems and, particularly, to depth stop devices and systems for use in connection with, for example, medical devices such as biopsy instruments, needles or cannulae to control, for example, position, extension, placement and/or penetration.
The following information is provided to assist the reader to understand the invention disclosed below and the environment in which it will typically be used. The terms used herein are not intended to be limited to any particular narrow interpretation unless clearly stated otherwise in this document. References set forth herein may facilitate understanding of the present invention or the background of the present invention. The disclosure of all references cited herein are incorporated by reference.
In many medical depth stop devices such as needle depth stop devices and systems (sometimes referred to simply as depth stops) currently in use, a bushing or stop member slides over a medical device (for example, via which fluid is injected into and/or fluid/tissue is withdrawn from the body) and is clamped or locked in place on the medical device via a set screw. The depth stop device can, for example, abut a surface of instrumentation or tissue (such as skin) to, for example, limit the depth to which a penetrating medical device can be inserted. The set screw include a gripping member such as a knurled knob for tightening the screw against, for example, a biopsy needle, a fluid injection needle or a cannula by hand. Such knobs typically have a small diameter to limit the torque that can be applied to the screw. In that regard, excessive torque can damage medical devices such as needles or cannulae, which typically have relatively thin walls. However, limiting applied torque by limiting the size or diameter of a gripping member results in difficulty in operating the depth stop device, particularly in the case of a physician wearing sterile gloves.
It is desirable to develop improved depth stop devices and systems that reduce or eliminate the above-identified and/or other problems associated with currently available depth stop devices and systems.